Dance with Death
by joelcoxriley
Summary: When two Silencers of the Black Hand are ordered to capture the slayer of their Dark Brothers and Sisters, they get much more than they bargin for. The hunters have never faced such dangerous prey before, and the prey has never faced such determinded hunters. Warning: slight OC X Mathieu Bellamont.
1. Hunters and Prey

**Alright, so this is the full story from my one shot Unwelcome Guests. It was writen by both Rileyjuline and I. Katariah and the Argonian family belong to Rileyjuline, Shealyne belongs to me and Mathieu belongs to Bethesta.**

* * *

Shealyne groaned painfully as she was slammed against the trunk of a tree, lips attacking hers as a larger figure pressed himself against her smaller form. Shealyne's eyes narrowing in annoyance as she pressed her hands against the man's chest, hoping to push him backwards and give herself room to move as she felt Mathieu slip his tongue into her mouth. Shealyne's breathing hitched slightly as she felt the invading tongue lick her fangs, as if testing the sharpness before the tongue gently rubbing the upper roof of her mouth, trying to play a game. But the challenge for dominance would go unanswered. This was just a game the woman refused to play.

Mathieu's grip on her shoulders loosened slightly as he began to explore her body, Shealyne waiting until his hand got to her waist before pushing the man roughly. Mathieu gasped as he was pushed back, a rather loud smacking noise going off as their lips suddenly parted, Shealyne breathing a sigh of relief as the man backed into the swampy water.

"Stop it, Mathieu!" Shealyne hissed, annoyed as the man recovered quickly, smirking at her as he wiped excess saliva from his chin.

"Stop? Dearest Sister, if I recall you were not telling me to stop earlier." Mathieu replied, smiling innocently at the woman as she started to redden slightly before walking off, her partner not far behind her as they picked up the trail in the darkness of the night. Their quarry was close. And once they found her, the hunt could begin.

Shealyne growled to herself, frustrated that she was unable to find the trail that she had seen before. Damn Mathieu Bellamont. Sithis damn him.

"Patience, love. Patience." Mathieu murmured softly from his partner's side, confident that she would pick up the trail of their prey at any moment. It was hard for him to see in the darkness, but his eyes quickly adjusted to the blackness. He knew Shealyne could see just fine in the dark. He realized he needed the woman during contracts as much as she needed him. Each for different reasons.

"Patience? You try finding the damn trail." Shealyne snapped. "We wouldn't have lost her if it weren't for YOU." Shealyne hissed, venom in her voice as the male Breton beside her simply ignored her comment.

"You'll find it, Sister. If Sithis wills it." Mathieu stated almost matter of factly, Shealyne sighing slightly. "I know...wait!" Shealyne stilled, almost like a cat ready to strike, the male mimicking her actions.

"What do you see?" Mathieu asked, his voice soft as he waited for a reply. The swamp seeming to be deathly silent, like the animals knew hunters were about.

"I see flame." Shealyne whispered softly, Mathieu smirking in the darkness.

"Sithis has willed it, Sister. The Night Mother has smiled upon us." Mathieu spoke, his voice almost gentle as Shealyne nodded slightly, smiling.

"Indeed they have." Shealyne muttered, moving toward the light as Mathieu smirked, his canines showing. "And so the hunt begins." The male Breton whispered darkly, unsheathing his dagger, the blade making a sickening noise as it was pulled out from its prison, a murder of crows taking flight at the noise from a nearby tree.

Not very far away, Katariah sat at the small fire she made near the bank of the river. The sun wasn't even up yet, but its rays started to appear above the horizon. 'Another day,' she thought, 'I wonder if the Imperial Legion will be even close on my trail today.'

Suddenly, a flock of crows darted out of the marsh behind her, and made off in the other direction. 'Something's in the forest.' she thought to herself, alarmed. She quickly put out her fire, and picked up her bow and quiver of arrows. She stashed her knife inside her boot in case of an emergency.

Quickly taking inventory of her few belongings, she sprinted off the way the crows flew, for the crows warn of death. She crossed the rapid-moving stream, making a few splashes, but not too much noise. On the other side, she continued sprinting like a deer being chased, though she did not know who or what her chaser was; all she knew was she had to get away, and fast.

'Definitely not the Legion.' she thought as she ran. They couldn't have possibly picked up her trail this quickly. 'It's two people, small humans. Small enough to be Breton scum.'

The marshes started again as her left boot unexpectedly plopped into deep, muddy water. She stumbled and almost fell face-down, but caught herself. She thought, 'If it's two, maybe it's not the Dark Brotherhood...all the assassins they sent after me were teams of one person...but I can't be sure.'

She decided to get whoever it was off her trail.

Katariah sharply turned at a 90 degree angle, sloshing through the swamp water carefully. 'Maybe this will confuse them.' she thought and continued taking her steps. She was not running out of steam yet, might as well use the tricks up her sleeve.

Not very long after that, she sensed her chasers turn at the same place she did. They were onto her.

'Time to use the heavy artillery.' Katariah thought with a laugh and slowed to a jog. She conjured a flame, and set fire to a nearby swamp tree. She continued jogging to keep up place, and the fiery tree soon caught other trees around it.

After some distance, she looked back in satisfaction as she heard the crackle of a considerable marsh fire. Thick, heavy smoke hung in the air, making it almost impossible to breathe. She had to pick up her pace or it would catch up to her. Hopefully, her attackers were set back.


	2. The Swamp Burning

**Alright so here's the second chapter. The reason this is getting published so fast is because this was already written. This mission will actually take place in later chapters in Window to the Soul, but since it has no actual place in the story it will only be mentioned. **

* * *

"What is that?" Shealyne asked, her eyes squinting as she saw a massive amount of blue light. Whatever it was it had to be something incredibly hot.

"She set the swamp alight." Mathieu muttered softly by her side, the massive fire serving as a beacon of light.

"A fire? Is she insane?" Shealyne asked, her partner chuckling softly. "Not as much as we are."

"We have to get around that fire before it spreads even more." Mathieu stated, his ambition showing as he turned on his heels and started to swiftly walk vertically from the flames, Shealyne pausing slightly before following close by, her smaller strides making it slightly difficult for her to keep up.

"Do you think we'll lose her again?" Shealyne asked, Mathieu piercing his lips into a thin line as he calculated the odds. "This fire will set us back greatly. By the time we get around it she will most likely be gone. However, the lakes and streams will slow the fire's progress down, at least slightly." Mathieu paused to laugh softly. "What a cunning little rabbit she is."

"Even more so than the wolves?" Shealyne mused slightly, the smell of burning wood and smoke telling them to pick up the pace.

"We'll see." The male Breton replied, his excitement growing at the thought of fighting a worthy opponent. And such an ambitious and vengeful one too. He mused silently to himself at how he and his quarry were so much alike. It was a shame Banus needed her alive. She would look so beautiful with blood spilling down her throat like a gentle spray of mist, the artistic glimmer of her darkened blood on his dagger. Such a pity she needed to be brought in alive. Alive, but not unharmed. Bellamont couldn't help but smile mechanically at that thought. Yes, he could still have his fun with the dark elf. So long as Shealyne didn't object.

The pair silently picked up speed to a slight jog, the assassins blending into the shadows as they kept the ever growing flames on their right side. The smell of smoke was almost unbearable as it started to sting their eyes, the toxin causing them to cough once in awhile as it burned their lungs.

"Damn, it's spreading too fast." Shealyne cursed as they saw the fire engulf the path they were trying to take, the pair hearing a loud popping and snapping noise from above.

Shealyne felt something slam into her, knocking her to the ground as ash and hot embers kicked up from the ground and flew every which way into the sky, hearing violent coughing above her along with her own. The bright lights hurt Shealyne's eyes. They seemed to be everywhere. Pulsing and constantly twisting and turning. But the one above her was different. It was fluttering in a swift rhythm. It took Shealyne a few seconds to realize it was Mathieu's heartbeat. The male Breton has just saved her life from a fallen tree set alight.

The woman's brain froze as she tried to think of why it happened, not bothering to register that she was practically dragged to her feet, Mathieu cursing as he stomped on his robe to try and put out a small flame that had made it's home on his attire.

Shealyne slowly recovered, glancing around slowly to see that their right and front sides were now completely blocked by flame. That bitch. At this rate they would completely lose her. Or die a horrible death by fire first. Shealyne didn't like fire and certainly didn't want to be a burnt corpse beyond recognition.

The woman's eyes widened as an idea birthed itself in her mind. Why she didn't think of this earlier was beyond her.

Shealyne mustered her magica and focused it on her hands, her small hands being engulfed in flames as she suddenly threw a ball of fire behind them, then another, and another until Shealyne was satisfied that she made a small forest fire. A very small one but at least it started to grow quickly and was some distance from the larger swamp fire.

Shealyne turned, smiling to see Mathieu wordlessly question the woman's sanity. The look on his face said it all. Yes, he was insane, but not that insane to start a second forest fire.

"How do you stop a forest fire? Make another." Shealyne explained, her partner only nodding in understanding before both breaking into a sprint before the smoke prevented them from breathing. If the fires burned each other out at least they would have a better chance at locating their target. Now they had to get out of harm's way.

Katariah was almost sure she had crossed the border to Blackmarsh, she had ran a considerable distance from where she started on the right-side bank of the Panther River. She hoped her pursuers would not follow her into the swampy, hostile country.

She kept carefully slumping through the deep, murky water as long as she could. She knew she couldn't stay long in Blackmarsh; she'd get found out and possibly killed if the authorities would find a random dark elf in their country. They hate the Dunmer as is.

But she didn't know which way to go...if she went any further, she'd get into the heart of Blackmarsh, but if she turned around, she'd meet her chasers face-to-face. To the north was the city of Stormhold, and to the south was Gideon, so she couldn't go in those directions unnoticed.

The sight of a small shack tore her away from her thoughts. Out of habit, she drew her bow tight, ready to strike if anything happened.

Slowly, she ascended the rickety wooden steps up to the shack, wondering if it was abandoned. Hearing no noises, she poked her head outside the window, and looked in. There was nobody inside. There was no fire in the fireplace, and no food visible. No signs of recent life.

Katariah kicked open the door, and pointed her bow inside, making sure there was nobody. And there was none.

She turned around and closed the door, then walked around the small shack, inspecting it closer. There was an elevated cot in the corner, and a fur bedroll on the floor, but they were most likely a long ago resident's. But the embers at the cooking spit wasn't a good sign...that means someone had recently cooked something here.

As long as they don't return for a while, she could afford to rest here for a few hours. Not sleep, but rest; she couldn't take the risk of sleeping when her chasers were so close behind.


	3. Jumping Borders

**The Argonian Family belongs to Rileyjuline.**

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"What a waste." Shealyne muttered, looking at the large expanse of burned and charred trees, many still burning and smoking slightly from the massive swamp fire that existed just a few hours ago.

"At least you put it out." Mathieu pointed out, sick of smelling ash and smoke. At least he didn't have to worry about getting burned alive. That was a plus.

"I guess you're right. Where do you think she is now?" Shealyne asked, her sight back to normal with the sun's rays rather high in the sky. It was impossible for her senses to track the white haired Dunmer now with the heat left from the fire. The surrounding area was hotter than normal and it was affecting the Dark Brotherhood members.

"I don't know." Mathieu replied, pulling back his hood to reveal his light brown hair in a low ponytail and bangs, the man wiping the sweat from his brow. "If we're lucky she burned in the swamp fire."

"I wish it were that easy." Shealyne muttered, looking up at the sun. It has to be eight in the morning. And as they stayed in the swamp the area would only get only hotter. They needed to leave and find the dark elf. "Do you think she went to Blackmarsh?"

"She headed east the last time we saw her. I really hope she burned in the fire. I would have loved to hear her scream." Mathieu smiled at that, going off in his own little world as he followed Shealyne in the direction towards Black Marsh. He could tell it was going to be a long day.

Shealyne halted in her footsteps, yelping as Mathieu walked into her slightly. "Sorry, Sister." Mathieu apologized softly, realizing until now he hadn't been paying to attention where he was going. He was only paying attention on who he was following.

"Is this the border to Blackmarsh?" Shealyne asked softly, unsure of herself.

"I think we are already in Blackmarsh, Shealyne." Mathieu answered, coughing slightly. They had to be in Blackmarsh by now. They walked for a good...well Mathieu didn't actually know how far or long they walked. He wasn't exactly paying attention. For all he knew they were still in Cyrodiil. However years of being an assassin has taught the male Breton to rely on his instincts. And his instincts told him they were in Blackmarsh already.

"I...don't think we should go any farther. Bad things tend to happen when I jump borders." Shealyne spoke hesitantly, Mathieu raising an eyebrow at the woman's comment.

"Then stay here if you wish. I'll go after the target." Mathieu reasoned, walking off into the dangerous swampland, his strides swift and graceful yet cautious, leaving the woman to her lonesome as her partner disappeared into the foliage.

"Mathieu! Wait for me!" Shealyne cried, jogging to catch up to the man. Like Oblivion she was going to let that man go after such a dangerous target alone.

The shack door suddenly opened, causing Katariah to look up, startled. In the door stood three Argonians just as surprised as she was.

They appeared to be a family, the father having scales as dark as night, the mother with silver scales, and the little boy with dark scales like his father.

Katariah rapidly strung her bow and pointed it at the family, unafraid of hurting them. They, in return, raised their arms with fear. They didn't seem dangerous.

"Who are you? Is this your shack?" Katariah asked them hurriedly.

"Yes, we were out in the swamps. I am Keerava, my wife is called Silver-Scales. My son's name is He-Who-Shines. Please, don't kill us." the father said, his voice shaking.

Katariah lowered her bow but did not undraw it. "I'm not here to kill you, I just need a place to stay for a little while." The Argonians seemed to relax and put their arms down, but were still frozen at the door.

Keerava said, "We take care of any travelers that come to our humble shack." and smiled.

"Do you have food here?" Katariah asked, her stomach rumbling terribly. She hadn't had time to hunt anything, with these chasers on her tail since early this morning.

Silver-Scales opened the satchel she had and said,. "Here, join us for breakfast. We just came back from fishing." she went over to the cooking spit and placed a few trouts in the pot, and began to make a fire with two pieces of flint.

Katariah lay down on the cot...her body was screaming for rest. She put her arrow away in her quiver and slung her bow over her shoulder.

Silver-Scales blew into the little flame, and soon it grew. Keerava sat on a chair on the opposite side of the small shack, looked at Katariah's condition, and said, "What is your name, traveler?" Keerava leaned his elbows on his knees.

"Kanja." Katariah stared into the fire.

"What are you doing in Blackmarsh?" He-Who-Shines asked while sharpening his spear with a stone.

What business of it was theirs to know why she was in Blackmarsh? Katariah was silent a moment, and then said, "I...I don't know where I'm going...I'm lost." She played the pitiful card to earn their hospitality.

"You poor thing...you can stay with us for a little bit, yes?" Silver Scales asked from her place at the fireplace.

"For a little bit, thank you." Katariah said, and then looked out the window, "Very little."


	4. Unwelcome Guests

**Alright, I'm sure this will be the longest chapter. Who ever already read Unwelcome Guests can just skip this chapter cause it's the same thing. Warning: Brutal Character Death.**

* * *

"There she is." Shealyne spoke, her partner studying the small shack surrounded by water.

"Are you ready, Sister? We don't know if she is alone." Mathieu asked, voicing his concern. "The Argonian family could be in there as well."

"Do you think that is where they live?"

"I think so. We saw them head in this direction." Mathieu answered, both falling silent. They didn't like where this was going.

"What of the family? We can't just kill them, Mathieu." Shealyne asked, concerned over the family's well being. She would do anything to keep her family out of danger. She missed them...

"I know. But what if they report us? We don't know this area and we could perish. I'm not saying I'm for slaying a family but...it's something to consider." Mathieu reasoned, Shealyne sighing. He did have a point. And it was best that they try to make as few waves as possible to avoid detection.

"I...I don't know. It's your call." Shealyne replied, her voice cracking slightly as the male Breton hesitated. He hated being a murderer. But in order to destroy what he hated the most he had to become a monster. Ironic really.

"I'll make it quick." Mathieu muttered, Shealyne sighing as she disappeared behind low lying foliage, taking her time to undress and wear the clothes of a slave. Sometimes she hated being in the Dark Brotherhood.

"I'm ready." Shealyne mumbled, walking out with dirty and ripped slave clothes, rubbing mud and leaves on her skin, hair and clothes.

"Are you ready?" Shealyne asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Mathieu spoke softly, following his partner up the ramp to the shack's door, pressing his body flat up against the wall, his knife unsheathed.

"Make it quick." Shealyne glanced to the male, hoping her voice didn't waver as she thought it did, Mathieu nodding as he cracked his knuckles, posing himself to strike hard and fast.

Shealyne took a large breath before quietly knocking on the door, holding her breath as she wondered if the occupants even heard her. Her worries rose as she heard a hiss from the other side of the door, "Don't open that." The Dunmer was definitely inside.

Still, the door opened and there stood the silver Argonian mother, but all the Argonian had time to see was Shealyne's short height and blood-red eyes when she quickly stepped back as her partner broke through the door and slashed the neck of the first thing he happened to see. Blood sprayed from the throat of the silver Argonian, her jugular completely torn as her head rolled back at a sickening angle. Mathieu ignored the blood that sprayed onto the walls and outside the door of the shack and smoothly followed through his attack as he spun around and slammed his dagger into the skull of the black scaled male Argonian.

"No!" screamed the Dunmer in the corner, her voice shrill with fear.

Shealyne looked away as she saw blood stain the window and fly out past the open the door, the woman hiding just outside the doorway. Blood from the woman's slit throat was getting on her doeskin shoes as it seeped past the floor boards and into the water below.

Shealyne flinched even harder and closed her eyes as she heard the sickening crack of bone breaking. She even felt the side of the shack shake from the force of the blow. Shealyne waited a few moments, hearing nothing but some screaming from whom she guested was the dark elf. At least Mathieu had kept his word about giving them a swift death.

Mathieu's eyes widened as he stared at the young Argonian child, his blade dripping with thick blood as the child followed the drops with wide eyes as they fell to the floor. He didn't see the child. He didn't see the child as he slit the mother's throat so hard her blood sprayed onto the walls of the one room shack, her blood heavily staining his black robes. The blade tore through her jugular. It was a quick death. The reptilian woman was dead before she hit the ground. He didn't see the child when he plunged his sleek blade into the skull of dark scaled male Argonian. The Breton felt the skull crack and split as he slammed the Argonian into the wall, thick blood pouring down the reptile's open mouth, the odd facial muscles contested in shock, blood running down the nostrils. The eyeballs even popped out slightly as the sockets filled with blood, the dagger pushing the cranials contents to the front of the skull.

He didn't see the child. Not until he roughly, yet fluidly tugged the blade from the corpse's skull and let the body slump to the ground, leaning heavily against the door he and his partner had forced themselves through. The woman was standing just slightly off to the side of the door's opening, hiding her face from the brutality of the kills. They both agreed on who should do the killings. She didn't have the heart for it. Yet neither did he.

Death came swift. In one fluid motion Mathieu had slit the female's throat and followed through by ramming his blade in the male's skull. Yes, death came very swift. Like a shadow. Both dead in a second apart from each other. It was beautiful. Yet he didn't see the child. Not yet.

The Dunmer-their prey, was laying on the cot on the opposite side of the killings. She was screaming. Or maybe she wasn't. Perhaps her mouth was just agape, the woman too horrified to scream or perhaps too injured to make an effort. But it didn't matter. The target wasn't there. Shealyne wasn't there. There was only the child. The child was facing his parent's slayer.

Mathieu locked with the child's eyes, the young argonian's filled with terror and sadness. But there was something else. Something...familiar...empty. Gone.

Mathieu's breathing hitched and quickened as his chest seemed to suddenly clench shut, his hands shaking as he dropped his dagger to the floor, a metallic clang ringing out as blood flew off the weapon. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. His thoughts raced and blended together in a confusing and painful assault on his brain as he struggled to make sense of the matter. He couldn't hear anything but the beating of his own frantic heart. He felt trapped and cornered like an injured animal. Out, he needed out!

Mathieu began to panic as he started to pace rapidly around the room, muttering wildly to himself as the same thoughts pounded at his head. These thoughts weren't his. They were someone else's. But how could they be someone else's if they were his? These thoughts were not his. Yet they were his.

"Mathieu? Mathieu are you alright?" Shealyne asked, concerned for her partner's well being, her worry growing as the man ignored her. Katariah's wide eyes followed him as well.

Mommy, Mommy, as you _lie_ the dark man comes and makes you _die_...  
My Daddy's hands are red with _guilt_ because he killed the life we _built_...

Mathieu whimpered as the thoughts echoed in his head, the thoughts becoming faster and faster. It was so loud. Why couldn't he make the voices stop? Why didn't they leave him alone?

mommy,mommy,asyouliethedarkmancomesandma kesyoudie  
mydaddyshandsareredwithguilt becausehekilledthelifewebuil t

mommymommyasyouliethedarkman comesandmakesyoudiemydaddysh andsareredwithguiltbecausehe killedthelifewebuiltmommymom myasyouliethedarkmancomesand makesyoudiemydaddyshandsarer edwithguiltbecausehekilledth elifewebuilt

Mathieu stumbled backwards, holding his head in pain. His thoughts were racing. Saying the same thing over and over and over. He could see them! Even when he closed his eyes he could still see the words that were not his but were his! He could hear them!

Mathieu opened his eyes and saw the body of the mother Argonian on the floor, her throat slit, her eyes lifeless yet asking her slayer one thing. "Why?"

I lie in fear my mouth agape as wicked blade did cleave your nape for I was watching 'neath the bed to see the falling of your head...

Ilieinfearmymouthagapeaswick edbladedidcleaveyournapefori waswatching'neaththebedtoseethefallingof yourhead...

Mathieu flinched violently as he felt Shealyne touch him, shaking the woman off in a frenzy, muttering insanely as in his unstable state. He then caught sight of the father and his eyes widened in terror. Black. He had black scales. Black like shadows. Black like the dark man. And he had red blood just like his mother when the blade cleaved her head from her shoulders. So much blood...Mother...red...black...

greenblueREDyelloworangegree nblueREDyelloworangegreenblu eREDyelloworangegreenblueRED yelloworangegreenblueREDyell oworangegreen  
blueREDyelloworangegreenblue REDyelloworangeBLACKBLACKBLA CKBLACKBLACK!

At this, Mathieu snapped and threw a nearby chair at the window, glass and wooden splinters flying through the small room, the male Breton ranting and raving incoherently in a full blown panic.

Iliketolieinthegrassandwatch theantsandwishIwereoneofthem intheirundergoundmazesosafef romthedarknessofpeoplehorrib lepeople  
Iwillkillthemallkilltheantsk illthepeoplekilleverything

"Mathieu! Mathieu, stop!" Shealyne cried and wrapped her arms around the man to try and restrain him.

"BLACK! BLACK, BLACK, BLACK!" Mathieu shouted, violently bucking as the woman tried to keep his arms at his sides, the Argonian child fleeing as the male Breton kicked up on the smaller female and kicked his legs out, completely flipping the dining table in an attempt to break her grip. The Argonian child edged back on the floor, his forgotten spear only feet behind him.

"Mathieu! Stop it! STOP!" Shealyne shrieked, panicked at how violent he had become without reason. He was much stronger that she. The man was speaking so fast Shealyne couldn't even understand him amongst the noise of the dining table and plates and eating utensils breaking. This wasn't the Mathieu she knew. It was the scared little boy that witnessed the brutal murder of his mother. He wasn't trying to hurt anyone. He was just trying to run away. He was terrified.

Shealyne's grip loosened as Mathieu slammed his head into her nose, blood gushing from her wound. Before Shealyne could react Mathieu wrapped his leg around hers and pulled the woman's leg out from underneath her, causing the female Breton to fall backwards onto the hard floor. Without hesitating, her partner gave her a swift kick to the abdomen like an angry stallion, knocking the wind out Shealyne, cracking and possibly breaking a good number of ribs.

Mathieu proceeded to tear through the small home in an animalistic frenzy, breaking and smashing almost anything he could get his hands on, as if he was trying to tear down the very walls to get out.

"When in the snow I like to lie and fold my arms and wait to die! Kill the ants! Kill the people! Kill EVERYTHING! Hehheheheheeee!" Mathieu laughed, pure insanity in his voice as he turned toward the female Dunmer lying on the cot.

Mathieu was suddenly knocked to the ground, his head slamming against the floor as Shealyne pinned him down, making sure she had a tight grip on his wrists.

"STOP IT! JUST STOP IT, MATHIEU!" Shealyne screamed, her voice shrill as the man cursed and squirmed underneath her, kicking his legs and bucking his hips to try and get the woman off. It was hard for Shealyne to keep him pinned. If the roles were reversed Shealyne would get pinned in five seconds flat.

"Mathieu! Stop it! It's all right! You don't-" Shealyne shrieked as he almost bucked her off. "You don't have to do this!" Shealyne cried, hoping she was getting through to the man, her blood dripping on his face slightly as she groaned in pain. Why couldn't he just stay still? It hurt to even speak or breathe much less try to keep an unstable man submissive.

Shealyne began to relax as she felt his struggles lessen, his muscles slowly unwinding. Soon he stopped completely, causing Shealyne to painfully breathe in relief and let go of his wrists. Whatever just happened it seemed to be over.

Suddenly, there was the sound of glass breaking. Everyone's eyes averted to its source, and the last thing they saw was the dark elf jumping out of the window.


	5. Hunter's Pet

**So here's the next chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Damn her!" Shealyne screamed and raised her right hand and a portal appeared. A gigantic lizard/crocodile monster taller than the tallest Orc appeared, and rammed itself into the side the elf escaped, taking much of the wooden wall with it. It plopped down to the waters of the marsh and sprinted after Katariah.

Shealyne looked at the gaping hole satisfied, then looked over at Mathieu. He was still on the ground, his eyes open and his chest heaving. He'd be fine.

Then she looked at the Argonian child still cowering on the other side of the shack, and said, "Don't worry, child, we're not going to hurt you."

"Why did you kill my parents?! Why didn't you kill me too?!" the child screamed as loud as his lungs could. His eyes were seething with anger.

"We didn't mean to, child. I'm sorry. I truly am but we feared that our presence would be reported." Shealyne spoke, her pain obvious in her voice.

"You both should go to Oblivion! Damn you!" the child's eyes started to water in emotional anguish, similar to Mathieu's. He half-heartedly threw the spear, and with his strength, it lodged itself across the shack in the opposite wall. Shealyne didn't even have to dodge it, he wasn't looking where he was throwing it. The child slumped down, sobbing.

Shealyne groaned as she helped her partner up, the male leaning heavily against her, muttering apologies softly to her. As much as she felt sorrow for the Argonian child, there were better things to do than sit here in the shack. Their target was still on the loose, and the child's parents' deaths would be in vain if Katariah had escaped again.

Shealyne almost fell as they exited the ruined the shack, her ribs screaming with the extra weight from her partner, his steps heavy and his movements strained from exertion.

"I'm sorry, Shealyne. I'm so sorry." Mathieu whispered softly, his voice strained and breathing ragged as the woman struggled to regain her balance.

"It's all right, Mathieu. You didn't mean to." Shealyne answered, the pair nearly falling as they moved down the decaying steps, the water sloshing, blood gently flowing down the current. "Are you well?"

"I'll be fine. We...we have to get the girl."

Shealyne wiped the blood that ran from her nose. She felt horrible. And she felt warm and hot. The feeling almost felt uncomfortable, painful.

"Shealyne? You...you're smoking."

"E-Excuse me?"

"Your arm." Mathieu pointed, Shealyne following his gaze and gasping at seeing her normally pale skin turn a reddish color, her skin slowly burning away as it started to bubble and boil, the smell of burning flesh filling the air.

"Damn!" Shealyne cried and bolted to the shadowed safety of the ruined house, her partner following slowly with concern.

"Are you alright?" Mathieu asked, concern in his voice.

"Just go! Find the Dunmer!" Shealyne replied from inside, trying to heal her wounds but was too tired. She didn't have anything left. Her arm looked horrible and the pain was almost unbearable. She could see the Argonian child still sobbing in the far corner.

Mathieu hesitated, his mind fighting on what to do before swiftly moving to the foliage Shealyne had changed behind and grabbed her robe, returning to the shack.

"W-What are you...?"

"Take this." Mathieu spoke, handing her the cloak. She may very well need the extra protection from the sun.

"I-I...thank you." Shealyne replied, at a loss for words as Mathieu smiled softly before turning around, glancing at the destroyed Argonian child as he walked out.

"Mathieu!" The male Breton paused as he heard the woman call out his name.

"Just...be careful." Shealyne muttered softly, Mathieu nodding once in understanding as he left the shack. He really didn't want to leave her alone in her wounded state...

Sighing, Mathieu reluctantly turned on his heels and headed in the direction the Dunmer had gone. It wasn't hard seeing as Shealyne's pet had cleared a path in the swamp. Now he just had to catch up to them.

Katariah continued sloshing through the swamp, intent on escaping once more. Breaking the window was a great getaway while the two assassins were occupied. Now she was certain she was free.

There was a loud crashing sound coming from behind, Katariah turning briefly to look behind her only to see something large knock down a tree. Whatever it was it was gaining. It seemed too big to be any of the assassins.

Stopping in her running, Katariah slammed herself against a tree, readying her bow and arrow as she struggled to keep her breathing under control, hearing large footsteps slosh in the water and soft ground.

"Wha...What the?" Katariah gasped, her breath stopping in fear as a large reptilian creature emerged from the brush, its breathing deep and heavy, the lumbering creature hissing as it sniffed the air, its maw open as it tested the air. Katariah had never even seen such a creature before.

Slowly, Katariah readied her bow, moving slowly around the safety of the tree, flinching as a twig snapped under her foot.

The large crocodilian turned its head toward the noise and roared, its yellow eyes glowing in rage as it found its prey, Katariah cursing as she broke from cover and quickly aimed, the creature bellowing in pain as the arrow pierced its eye.

Katariah took off running, the creature's cries seeming to shake the very ground as it shook its head wildy to dislodge the weapon. The reptile gave up, becoming enraged as its prey escaped, ignoring the pain as blood seeped down its face and snout, stumbling slightly in its half blindness as it resumed the chase.

Shealyne screamed in pain, holding her eye. She didn't know what was going on. All she knew was that the Dunmer had managed to harm her Deodroth. That bitch. She hoped Mathieu would slit her throat...

Katariah ran as fast as she could, the monster far behind as it tripped over low lying roots and rock. Katariah paused for breath as she studied her surroundings, seeing several thick low lying vines and a hollowed stump.

Thinking fast, Katariah tied the vines together to make a trap. The vines may have been strong enough to hold the creature in place long enough for her to get a clear shot. Upon hearing the creature approach, Katariah gulped as she saw the creature, positioned herself on the over side of the vines and whistled.

The reptile roared as it charged, running into the vines as it struggled to free its body, only becoming further entangled in the vines.

Swiftly, Katariah aimed her bow and shot the arrow into the beasts other eyes, the monster giving a shrill scream as the vines suddenly snapped, Katariah's eyes widening in fear.

Katariah screamed as she got hit by its claws, landing several feet away. Katariah groaned in pain, her side bleeding rather heavily from the claws, desperately crawling to the safety of the hollowed log.

Katariah reached for her bow, cursing as she noticed it wasn't with. She must have lost it during the attack.

Katariah screamed as the log suddenly started moving, the log snapping in half as the reptile swatted the log with its claws. Katariah backed up on her palms, the log suddenly exploding in splinters. Her safety torn apart as the creature broke through with its jaws, the log suddenly moving up and down as the head became stuck.

The dremora roared as its tried to move its jaws in the sent of the Dunmer, Katariah backing up in fear as the jaws got closer and closer. Katariah then noticing the arrows still in the eye sockets, an idea forming.

Kicking the creature in the snout as hard as she could, she kicked until she heard it cry in pain, resuming her assault. Katariah kicked and kicked as she felt her foot slam into the arrow, digging it deeper and deeper into the monsters skull, its cries shrill before going silent, Katariah breathing heavily as she slumped against what remained of the hollowed log, the creature's blood mixing with hers.

Shealyne screamed in pain, her nails digging into her eye so hard the skin started bleeding. It felt like her very head was being shredded by knives. The pain was so intense she couldn't think. She couldn't even see. The pain was too much. Her body and mind couldn't take it. The Argonian child watched in horror, covering his ears at the ear splitting scream before the woman fell silent, her body falling limp as she passed out from the pain.

Mathieu, halfway between Katariah and Shealyne, could hear both of their screams at different times. '...What in Oblivion is going on?' he thought desperately. Maybe Shealyne was burned to ash. He hoped not. He would have to take her home in an urn. Or in his pants pocket. Either way it wouldn't be pretty.

After some advancing in Katariah's direction, he found her laying against a hollowed-out log. Was she unconscious? 'This will be too easy...'

He crouched down near her, examining her. He observed she was quite beautiful, even in this dirty and injured state.

She stirred, her eyelids flickering slightly, and then finally opening. The first thing her eyes saw was Mathieu staring at her. Alarmed, she tried to inch back, but did not have the strength to. Blood gushed out of her side when she attempted to move.

"Don't worry, love, I'm not going to hurt you." he said. She whimpered as he drew nearer.

"Stay away from me." she warned sternly. "I'll plunge my dagger into your throat." she slightly groaned as she slipped the dagger from her boot, but did not lunge for his throat as she had said; the pain was too intense. Blood flowed like a river.

"Dear, stop lying, we both know you don't have the energy. Might as well surrender now." Mathieu purred softly, a slight hint of sadism in his voice.

"Never. I know you need me alive. Goodbye, assassin." she breathed and her dagger suddenly was poised over her heart, and rapidly making its way towards it. Mathieu's eyes widened slightly at the realization that the woman was serious. He couldn't allow that to happen.

On instinct, Mathieu delivered a swift but brutal kick to the woman, Katariah gasping as the wind was knocked out of her, the dark elf landing painfully on her back. Katariah's eyes closed in pain as she stifled a groan in pain, feeling the full force of the assassin's boot slamming itself on her wrist. Mathieu pushed down on the Dunmer's wrist, pushing harder as the woman refused to let go of the dagger, the woman finally releasing as her wrist could take no more before breaking.

A gasp escaped from Katariah's lips as she desperately breathed, "What do you want with me, if you can't kill me?!"

"My faction, the Dark Brotherhood, has a great interest in you because you have been our enemy of late. You, my dear, have caused my partner and I quite the problem in hunting you. You need...punishment."

"By whom? Surely not you or your partner. If you need me alive, then there is someone, a superior of yours perhaps, that would like to see me in person. Banus Alor, am I correct?"

"Yes. Correct." Mathieu replied, seeming to be slightly bored with the conversation. He knew Banus wanted the Dunmer alive but he had no idea why. At that point he realized he also didn't care. He still wanted to see the girl bleed.


	6. A Sister's Distress

**So, here's the next chapter. Please enjoy!**

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Shealyne's eyes fluttered open, confusion racking her mind. Burning. Something was burning, smoking. Burning and smoking. Hot. Uncomfortable heat. Pain.

Shealyne's red eyes completely snapped open at the feeling, a shrill, animalistic scream tearing through her throat as she felt something tear through her stomach. Whatever it was it was incredibly hot. She could feel it searing her insides. It was killing her.

Shealyne hissed as her vampiric instincts took over, her senses sharpening as she saw what was attacking her. It was the Argonian child, his spear was embedded in her stomach, the metal tip was heated from the fireplace. The child wanted to avenge his parents' deaths.

Blood flew from Shealyne's maw as she latched onto the wooden spear, her nails sharpening as she snapped the wooden body like a twig, struggling to rip the heated metal shard from her abdomen.

Screeching in pain, she managed to pull the tip out, the wound a good six inches inside her. It wasn't good, even for her species. The only reason she was alive so far was from her vampiric blood.

Shealyne threw the shard at the child, missing and embedding it into the wall. Her aim was so off the boy didn't even have to dodge.

Struggling to get up, Shealyne was smacked in the face by a pan, a loud clang ringing out as it stunned the female Breton, knocking her to the ground. Shealyne felt claws dig into her scalp as she was being dragged. She didn't know where to though in her dazed state.

Her senses warned her of danger as she felt heat, her eyes widening as she noticed he was trying to drag her to the small fire. She would never fit in there. It made no sense. Still, she wanted to stay as far away from fire as possible.

Shealyne turned and bit into the Argonian's leg, the boy crying in pain as he felt fangs dig into his flesh. Shealyne was surprised the scales were so soft. She half expected them to break her teeth.

Using her weight, Shealyne brought the boy down to the ground, Shealyne letting go to scream in pain as he landed on her terribly burned arm.

The pair wrestled on the ground, each fighting for dominance to gain the upper hand, the young Argonian managing to pin the woman as Shealyne hissed, squirming underneath him. She was too injured and tired to fight back. She was already dying anyway.

Shealyne tried to move, the teen Argonian pinning her down with his weight, the boy surprised as the woman completely stopped struggling. She had completely submitted and given up.

The Argonian glanced around and saw a dagger long forgotten on the floor, stained with his parent's blood. He didn't have a weapon on him except for his claws, but he didn't want to run the risk of getting her disease. The boy didn't want to let his grip go of the woman. If he did she might use the opportunity to attack him. Still, she wasn't struggling now...

The boy slowly relieved the woman of his weight, bending over and stretching his arm to grab the hilt of the dagger, hating himself for holding the thing that ended his parents' lives.

He was surprised that the Breton made absolutely no attempt to escape as he pinned her down by sitting on her again. He sat a little lower than he wanted to on the woman, towards her pelvic region because he didn't want to be covered by her blood that was flooding her outer stomach, her deep red blood contrasting with her pale skin, her naval flooded with the crimson fluid as she slowly breathed up and down, her breath hitching every so often.

The teen raised the dagger over her heart, ready to pierce it but stopped as he looked at the woman. She was crying silently to herself, his gaze looking off to the side. She didn't want to look.

Shealyne's lip trembled as she felt tears roll down her cheek. She knew she was going to die at this point. She was dying already from her wounds. She didn't want to die. Yet she felt like she deserved it, deep down. She was a murder. She was an adulterous wife. She was a horrible mother. She was a monster that constantly needed to feed from the living. She tried so hard to live a normal life. But it all came crashing down.

Shealyne's thoughts drifted to her current mission. They killed innocent people that didn't even deserve to die in hunting a dangerous target. But what hurt her the most was that she actually allowed her partner - her partner to go after the target alone. And all because of her faults. And now he was probably dead because of her weaknesses. Because she wasn't strong enough.

Her heart lurched in pain at that thought. She had told herself many times that it wasn't true. She didn't love him. But she did love him. She would never love him...but she always would.

"P...Please...d-don't...hurt me..." Shealyne pleaded, her voice not even above a whisper. She needed to know if he was alive. It was killing her not knowing. And thinking about it only made her cry more. She also couldn't leave her family alone. Her husband needed his wife. Her twins needed their mother. She wanted to wrong all her rights. Be the wife her poor husband deserved. Be a mother to her young children. Not just one, but both. "I-I have a husband...M-Mara, I have twins! T-Twin...baby...boys!"

She flinched as the child cruelly spat on her and stood up. His foot slammed itself into her side, making her clench her stomach and cry out in pain.

"I won't bring myself down to your level and kill you. I'm leaving you to your misery, so you can contemplate how terrible your life is. Goodbye." he picked up the remaining pieces of his spear, and plodded out the shack. He was now a man.

Shealyne burst out in deafening sobs, feeling cold and cast aside like the dried blood of the fallen parents that was seeping into wooden boards.

Mathieu grunted as he heard crying from the direction of the shack. He was worried. Just a few minutes ago he heard screeching. Screeching from vampires was never a good sign. And he only ever knew one vampire that cried. Shealyne needed his help.

Mathieu glanced at Katariah briefly. He didn't trust the bitch. But right now his partner's health was more urgent than his target's location...damn it.

Katariah gasped slightly as she felt something hit her head hard and fast, hearing a swift crack before she lost conscience and fell to the ground with a thud.

"Good girl." Mathieu muttered, smirking as he jogged to the shack, the shack a good fifty feet away. He could hear the cries get louder.

"Shealyne?" Mathieu called, freezing slightly as he saw the woman lying in a pool of her own blood, her stomach ripped open as her small frame shook. She turned to him as she heard him bend down next to her.

"It's you..." Shealyne whispered, the man just a blurry blob as her tears hindered her vision. She couldn't even think of his name. She just knew he was someone she wanted to see. Or something. She couldn't remember.

"Who did this?" Mathieu hissed, hoping her wounds weren't as bad as they seemed. Now he wished he wasn't so horrible at restoration spells. He only knew the basics. He never was very good at magic.

"Damn it." Mathieu cursed, hearing the woman mumble some nonsense as he put his hand on her stomach and pressed down firmly, blood pushing past his gloved hands. Is was bad. Very bad. She'd bleed out if he didn't do something, anything.

Mathieu swiftly took his hands off of her wound, grabbing the collar of her ruined shirt, the fabric tearing as he ripped her shirt clean in half, exposing her bare chest, the soft skin a bit bloody.

Mathieu tried his best to take the shirt off as fast as he could without hurting his partner, ripping a small, mostly clean section off as he wrapped the cloth in a column shape. Shealyne might hate him for this, but he was doing what he had to do.

Mathieu whipped the blood away with his hand, becoming frustrated as blood gushed out, preventing him from completely seeing the wound. Estimating, Mathieu shoved the cloth into where he thought was the wound, feeling an opening as he started to push down.

Shealyne screamed in pain, Mathieu pushing the cloth into her wound as the blood slowly stopped, the cloth acting as a sponge. A good portion of the cloth was sticking out of her stomach.

Looking around, Mathieu grabbed a nearby knife from the floor, examining it. It was just an eating utensil, not as sharp compared to the dagger he carried, now lost and out of his possession. It would have to do.

Mathieu pressed the bloodied cloth into the wound, Shealyne whimpering and squirming weakly underneath him as he held the cloth firmly in place, using the knife to cut the loose cloth. It was annoying. The knife may have well have been a damn butter knife and it took longer than necessary for him cut the cloth so Shealyne didn't have a stump showing out of her stomach. He was using much more force than what was necessary, feeling Shealyne's stomach convulse in pain and discomfort.

"Shhhh, my love." Mathieu whispered, hearing the last of the fabric finally tear, his gloved hands smearing the white fabric with blood as he stored it in his robe's pocket for future use. She looked...better. He was no healer, but at least most of the bleeding stopped save for some blood trickling down her stomach in the pool of blood underneath.

The male Breton tried his best to wipe the blood away from the wound, trying to gage how long they would have until her wound would have to be treated again. He knew vampiric blood fought against all kinds of illnesses but he wasn't too sure on blood infections. Either way, he needed to get her out of this shack.

Mathieu propped her small frame up against his, Shealyne groaning in pain and discomfort at a foreign object plugged in her body. She made little to no movement as he focused on wrapping the cloth into a tourniquet around her stomach, not caring that blood was drenching his robe. He probably looked like a savage by now.

"Can you get up?" He asked softly, his worry increasing as Shealyne failed to respond.

"Shealyne? Shea..." His voice faltered, shaking her gently, getting no response as her head lulled uselessly, causing the man to shake her more firmly, getting the same result as her head slumped back against his chest.

Mathieu felt his heart skip a beat as cold fear overwhelmed him. She couldn't be dead. She couldn't die. Vampires didn't die from blood loss. They died from the sun and stakes to the heart and from garlic.

Mathieu looked at her burned arm, the flesh refusing to heal even though the woman was out of the sun's rays. She needed blood. He wasn't sure if she was alive or not but maybe, just maybe if she acquired blood it would give her life. He wasn't sure, but he was willing to try.

Mathieu threw the knife away, not about to risk infection by a dirty knife as he bared his teeth and bit down on his wrist, tasting the metallic of blood as he pulled his arm free. He put his wrist just above the woman's mouth, letting the blood drip on her face. No response.

"Come on...take it..." Mathieu muttered, pressing his bleeding wrist fully onto her mouth, her eyes fluttering open as the blood seeped into her mouth.

Mathieu grunted slightly as he felt her fangs dig into his wrist, the woman sucking on his wound.

"That's it. Good girl..." Mathieu muttered, feeling his strength slowly being drained. He didn't mind. She needed it.

Mathieu ripped her teeth away from his wrist, blood seeping from the wound. She seemed better. He could see that her arm was slowly healing.

"Can you move?" Mathieu asked, Shealyne shaking her head, wiping the blood from her mouth.

"I'm sorry." Shealyne whispered, her partner refusing to answer as he grabbed her forgotten robe and wrapped it around her, hopefully giving her some protection from the sun.

"I'll slit that Argonain's throat..." Mathieu muttered darkly, helping Shealyne stand up, the woman whimpering in pain. She really hated that thing in her stomach.

Wordlessly, Mathieu crouched down, Shealyne stiffly putting her arms on his shoulders, her legs struggling to wrap around his hips. Eventually she managed to secure her position on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck, fearful of falling off as his arm provided support for her lower body.

Mathieu stood up, shifting her slightly on his back. She didn't weigh much at all. Maybe around the same as the dark elf. Speaking of the dark elf...he needed to find that bitch.

"Don't worry, dear. The child will pay. This I promise." Mathieu hissed under his breath, Shealyne nuzzling the back of his nape slightly as he carried her out into the sun. It hurt her eyes.

Mathieu carried his partner to where he last saw the dark elf...and she was gone.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Mathieu screamed in frustration, Shealyne flinching as his scream hurt her ears.

"Calm down..." Shealyne muttered, too tired to properly care.

"That whore escaped again! I'll slit her throat when I find her!" Mathieu hissed, his anger slowly fizzing out like a child having a temper tantrum, Shealyne could feel the man take several slow, deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Can you find her?" Mathieu asked, Shealyne shaking her head in response.

"No. I'm sorry, Mathieu." Shealyne replied softly, Mathieu shifting her weight on his back slightly, Shealyne whimpering slightly as the movement irritated her wound. She didn't like having a cloth in her stomach. It was so strange.

"Damn it...we were so close." Mathieu sighed deeply once more. Now they'd have to find the dark whore all over again. Well, that shouldn't be hard. She couldn't have gone too far with those wounds.

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**Well, this is the last chapter Rileyjuline and I have written. We want to finish it, but we don't have much time to give it a proper ending so it may just end up being a loose end. Either way I would like to thank all the readers and reviewers if anyone reviewed. Hopefully we will finish this story and give it a proper ending. **


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